Easily one of the most popular cars on the auto show circuit in 2000 has
been the Chrysler PT Cruiser. I attended one show where the people were
lining up six deep just to sit in the car. Everyone smiles when you drive by
and (almost) everyone is in love with the car.

Part of the fascination is the Cruiser's "retro" styling. A relative
told me recently that she saw a two-door version of the Cruiser in our town.
My interest was piqued, until I also saw it. It was in reality a 1930s
Plymouth coupe, with all the styling attributes of the Cruiser.

But unlike the cars of the 1930s, the PT Cruiser is totally modern, has
all the safety features of a small sedan (it is, after all, built on the Neon
platform), and all the storage and carrying capacity of a small minivan.
Performance is decent, too, with a 16-valve 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder
engine that's rated at a robust 150 horsepower. It's hooked to a five-speed
manual gearbox (a four-speed automatic is available) driving the front
wheels. While the four is small, it has power, and we were able to "chirp"
the tires on rapid start-ups from stop signs.

Even with the relatively high exterior hood line of the Cruiser, there's not
much space under it for a larger engine. I also wouldn't want to be the
person servicing this engine, although all the fillers and dip sticks are
easily accessible. For 2002, Chrysler is rumored to be introducing a "GT
Cruiser" with a turbocharged version of the same engine that should make the
Cruiser a potent little performance car.

But the charm of the PT Cruiser is all about styling. Here is a vehicle that
is a combination of a 1930s sedan, a minivan, a truck, and a street rod. Our
tester was white, but I'll be it looks sharp in black with orange flames
painted on the front. Inside, the seats were relatively normal, but the dash
had a retro look and the shifter knob was a simple white ball, just like the
kind you'd find on one of those old Hurst shifters.

The exterior is clean and rounded. I liked the way there were rear front
fenders and a hint of a running board. The flat aerodynamic rear hatch even
brought back memories of the Cadillac Aero-Dynamic Coupe that was introduced
in 1933.

There were a few features we had to get used to. The biggest problem was the
lack of power door locks. Yes, I know I'm spoiled, but even out `88 family
sedan has power locks. The power window controls were located in the center
of the dash. It's a sensible location, but it took me at least a minute to
find them the first time. Thank God the PT Cruiser wasn't submerged in a
lake somewhere at the time. And the exterior mirrors also didn't have power
controls for adjustment, just stalks, but since the PT Cruiser is relatively
small, it was easy to get to the right-hand adjuster.

The rear hatch opens upward to reveal a smallish trunk. However, you can
fold down the rear seats, and with a little panel can create a flat luggage
floor with a "protected" area underneath it. This proved to be handy. I
stowed my golf clubs on the top and my shoes and other smaller items
underneath. You could also use this lower area to carry crushable groceries
while the heavier items remained on top. We drove most of the time with the
rear seats folded.

But these seats are also removable. Flip a couple of handles and the seats
come out easily, creating a huge storage area. The seats even have handles
on them to help you take them out. There was enough room there to bring two
garbage pains full of grass clippings to the compost dump, an important
summertime capacity test.

With the rear seatbacks in the raised positions, the rear seating capacity
was decent. This is, in reality, a four-passenger vehicle, ideal for double
dates no matter what the ages of the daters are. There are enough cupholders
to keep everyone happy, and with two rear doors, there's lest of a
claustrophobic feeling in the rear.

Another great advantage of the PT Cruiser is its price. Sure, we didn't have
all the power goodies, but with a sticker price of only $16,965 -- including
four-wheel ABS disc brakes ($790) and side air bags ($350) -- you can't go
wrong.

One of the advantages of this job is that you're often driving vehicles that
have not been seen before. The PT Cruiser is on the road now and there are
several in our neighborhood. But it's still the type of vehicle that draws
smiles and thumbs ups from other drivers. When we stop, people tell me how
much they like "my" car. It hurts to have to tell them it isn't mine and
it's going back in a week to be replaced by something nondescript. Oh, well.